New Delhi: Amid the rising air pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR area, the Supreme Court of India, on Saturday, came down heavily on the Centre and the Delhi government suggesting that if needed the government can declare a two-day lockdown in the national capital.
Environmentalists also slammed the Governments for showing their sympathetic approach towards rising pollution only during this period of the year.
The air quality remained “severe” in the national capital with AQI recorded in Delhi at 473 on Saturday morning. In neighbouring areas of Delhi, including Noida and Gurgaon, the AQI was recorded at 587 and 557 respectively.
What Supreme Court said
While hearing a plea by a minor boy seeking directions against stubble burning and other factors associated with high pollution levels in Delhi-NCR, a bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, "situation is very bad. In the house, we are wearing masks. It is a bad situation".
"How to control air pollution in Delhi, two days lockdown or what. How will people live in Delhi?" the Chief Justice questioned.
Causes of air pollution
"The AQI in Delhi continues to deteriorate. At this time, what happens is that there is an air doldrum effect just before the arrival of winter and the movement of air currents is reduced. Due to this reduced airflow, the pollutants of the atmosphere of the heavily populated region of Northern India doesn't get disposed of," said environmentalist Manu Singh.
"Particulate Matters also get accumulated. When heavy cold air gets mixed with these PMs along with dust particles, then smog gets formed," he further said.
Is stubble burning the real issue?
The court also observed today that 'bashing the farmers has become a new fashion' while not talking about other factors contributing to Delhi's poor air quality.
"Stubble can be a part of the problem but not the only reason," the court said.
Speaking about it, Manu Singh said, "stubble burning is definitely an issue and until and unless there is incentivization of proper disposal of stubble, there is no cure. Also, the maximum amount of these pollutants come from vehicular emissions. Apart from this, the bursting of firecrackers led to an accumulation of very harmful chemicals like zinc, copper, cadmium, magnesium. All these three factors along with irregular and unauthorized construction, combined with the external combustion, the condition is very poor."
Contribution of vehicular emission
As per the latest study of the Center for Science and Environment, emission from vehicles is the biggest contributor to particulate pollution in Delhi among local sources.
The analysis is based on data for every alternate hour from October 24 to November 8. The contribution of vehicles has been half or more during the study period. Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, Research and Advocacy, CSE, who was part of the team that carried out the analysis, said that this figure would be around 50%-53%.
On Friday, Central Pollution Control Board also released an order suggesting that both Government, as well as Private offices, should reduce their vehicles by at least 30 per cent in view of the deteriorating air quality level.
Blame game
Delhi Government, on Saturday, slammed the Centre for being 'unresponsive' to the issue of rising air pollution in the national capital. Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday alleged that Union Minister Bhupender Yadav is "not responding to his letters written twice" over the emergency situation of air pollution in the national capital.
Earlier, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had also said that the increase in pollution was due to stubble burning in neighbouring states as governments were "doing nothing" to help farmers to stop it.
Meanwhile, both BJP and Congress party blamed Delhi Government for failing to curb air pollution.
What to do?
"Until Government shed off their symptomatic approaches towards every environmental problem and prepare a holistic solution, which does not just come around this time of the year, only then think we will get clean air and clean water," Manu Singh said.
